Ports

Saudi Arabia loses third of air cargo capacity as Riyadh airport remains shuttered

Saudi Arabia's international air cargo capacity has plummeted 33 percent over three days following King Khalid International Airport's closure. Total capacity dropped 3,537 tonnes to 7,292 tonnes. Capacity at Riyadh itself collapsed 99 percent, falling from 3,925 tonnes to just 26 tonnes across all carriers excluding narrowbody passenger aircraft. The General Authority of Civil Aviation extended the airport suspension through Oct. 17 for safety checks. Multiple carriers have suspended or delayed services, compounding the disruption. Air France-KLM halted Riyadh operations through October, while Etihad cancelled Abu Dhabi-Riyadh flights until mid-October. Delta postponed its Atlanta-Riyadh launch from October 23 to March 2027, eliminating planned belly capacity. Oman Air reported Saudi-bound shipments stranded in Muscat following cancellations, indicating regional spillover effects from the shutdown.